Review comments

Payton was a great school. I honestly took advantage of Payton when I went there, but it still gave me the advanatage on a ton of colleges that I shouldn't have got in to. Amazing teachers, some have left, but still amazing teachers. Glad I chose Payton instead of Whitney young or northside. I would not be who I am today without Payton, it really put me ahead.

I'm a recent graduate (2011), and I have very mixed feelings about the school. Sadly, many of these are negative. I chose Payton over many other great high schools because I wanted a challenge and good reputation, which many high schools in CPS just can't provide. When I got there, I was pleased with my teachers and the programs, but extremely unhappy with the school. The students here are extremely condescending, elitist, and unwelcoming. Expect to be around people with no interests outside of school and activities that look good on transcripts. For some students, this will be okay; for most, it won't. As someone who did not come from a privileged caucasian background or well represented minority group, I endured four years of hell to get a good education. I am now at a highly ranked East Coast school on a wonderful scholarship, and while I can say it prepared me very well for challenging math and science higher education, I would never repeat the experience in a million years. In addition, if you have ANY learning disabilities, DO NOT GO HERE. It's bad enough that "regular" students are overlooked, but the support for my friends with learning differences was tragically low.

Graduated class of 2008, and didn't appreciate Payton until I got to college. It is exactly what it's named, a college prep. And if you can't deal with the course load, or the "unsympathetic" teachers then go to a school that doesn't prepare you for what lies ahead. I went to Depaul and felt that my Payton experience prepared me for a much more challenging institution. Aside from the demanding curriculum, I loved and still love Payton. I still talk with current teachers and students. All of my best friends attended Payton as well. And as far as the comment about Payton not balancing intellegent and great people, that's completely inaccurate. Only a Payton graduate can understand the ways in which Payton made us great. Love the teachers. Love the opportunites. Love the school.

What a great school and curriculum. What fantastic teachers. What nice chairs, laptops, and equipment. They should all be like this. They aren't, as this is the flagship they take out-of-towners to, where even the private sector invests with internships, cool arts and activities; and it just happens to be in a gentrified area in the shadow of the now-defunct Cabrini Green. I love it and I hate it, I suppose; after seeing the neglect of many potentially good neighborhood schools in order to create a showpiece like Payton; and after seeing how many outside organizations participate in the deceit. A few of them should consider partnering with other schools just as deserving. I'm rating them average, if only because there's no telling how others would compare with the same outsized political and economic support.. (And I meant that about the teachers).

All I heard is the school is a great school if you really want to get your kids to the Ivy's. Not sure what the school vision is, but definitely they are attracting parent care about their kids academic (PERIOD). This drive the school focus, but I doubt they can balance between making an intellgent individual and a great person. A school full of highly competitive (IQ) intellgent body definitely lack of the diversity, and most importantly lack of an environment for young people to dvelope their element of PASSION. IT IS THE CHOICE THE PARENT HAVE TO TAKE; BUT RATHER IT IS A GOOD CHOICE FOR THE KID then it is also a choice.

im a sophmore right now at walter payton and i have to say i really do love my school. sometimes the work is challenging and i feel stressed but its all worth it in the end. Not to mention I have great teachers and friends that can help with my problems im having. Its alot of hard work but when you see you test results and you score higher than 87% of the kids in your state you feel a sort of accomplishment and know that its because of WPCP. GO GRIZZLIES!!!!!!! Class of 2013 <3

I graduated from Payton, i love my school. They have awesome curriculum, students who want to learn, and amazing opportunities. I saw fellow students travel to Ghana; Granada, Spain; Prague; Hungary; France; China; Japan and the list goes on

Payton College prep is an amazing school with an outstanding international and global focus. From Ghana to Beijing, Payton's focus continues to stretch the globe. This $20,000 can help them go even further.